As was anticipated, last night’s heavy snowfall – accumulation of up to a foot in some Bridgeport locations – resulted in widespread power outages.

 

Members of Bridgeport Emergency Services were out most of the night checking on customers who were without electric.

 

“At one point, the entire city pretty much from Route 131 to Lodgeville Road was without power,” said Laura Pysz, emergency services coordinator.

 

As a result of the storm, there were 44,000 area Mon Power customers without power, said Todd Meyers, of the company’s media staff. As of this morning, it was reported that there were still  4,300 Harrison County customers with power outages; 500 of them in Bridgeport. 

 

“With roads impassable due to snow and flooding in many areas, it is hard for our crews to access some places to make repairs,”  Meyers said earlier today. “Snow just stopped a while ago. Expect a lengthy restoration effort, with majority of customers restored by midnight Saturday.”

 

FirstEnergy, Mon Power’s parent company, sent out linemen and support crews – more than 250 in all – from its utilities in Ohio, Pennsylvania and Maryland.

 

“Many of those crews have arrived and will help Mon Power crews work to get the lights back on until the job is done,” he said.

 

As of early evening, local roadways were still in bad shape, Pysz said.

 

“Thankfully, a lot of people are staying home and off the roads,” she said.

 

Many businesses and organizations, including Meadowbrook Mall, Bridgeport Municipal Building and Benedum Civic Center, were closed today. There was no school in Harrison County or most other West Virginia schools. Classes in some counties, including Harrison, are already canceled for Fri., March 6. (See map). 

 

Since Wednesday night, Bridgeport Fire and Emergency Services responded to several calls, including downed trees and a car fire, Pysz said. 

 

The Harrison County Bureau of Emergency Services log indicates that there was  a fallen tree and power line fire on West Main Street at about 3:20 a.m.  There were several other reports of downed trees and power lines in Clarksburg, Johnstown, Lumberport, Salem, Sycamore, Hepzibah, Stonewood, Wolf Summit, Brushy Fork, Mount Clare and Wallace. 

 

Bridgeport Police were busy with weather-related calls, too. Of 34 calls over an approximate 24-hour period, 12 were weather related, Pysz said. 

 

 

Editor's Note: Courtesy of Sam Olivio, top/cover photo was taken early Thursday afternoon on Route 58, off Virginia Avenue/Hinkle Lake Road.